Hold Them Accountable!

By: American Decency Staff

 

In yesterday’s email alert we made you aware of the Down syndrome Drag Show that’s coming to Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 7 as part of Project 1 by ArtPrize.

This event is designed to normalize the debased sexual performances that until recently have been regulated to seedy nightclubs and give such perversity an air of legitimacy by calling it “art.”  And equally repugnant, they’re using individuals with Down syndrome to do so.

As local channel, Wood TV, reported:  “some people may be concerned because people with Down syndrome have limited mental capacity that they might not have the ability to decide to take part or understand what they are taking part in.”

One of the organizers of the event, Jill Vyn of DisArt, stated:  “The work that we do is really rooted in raising the visibility, the voice and value of the disability community.”   Yet if their goal was really to raise the value of the disabled, they wouldn’t be dehumanizing them in this degrading way.  If Project 1 and DisArt see the disabled as persons to be respected, they would showcase the musical or artistic accomplishments of those with Down syndrome, not exploit them to promote a sexual fetish.   

Yet also culpable are the corporate underwriters, sponsors, and foundations which are funding Project 1.

Listed below are the corporations complicit in bringing the Down syndrome Drag Show to Grand Rapids.  Please join us in holding them accountable and urging them to use their influence to bring about the cancellation of this degrading drag show. 

Use the phone numbers and email addresses below to contact them directly. 

Also, click here to sign an online petition to Project 1 and click here to download and print copies of the petition to circulate at church and among your family and friends.

As we state in the petition, those whom God has created with Down syndrome bear His Image, they are worthy of dignity and respect for their talents and opinions. There is no doubt that the individuals who make up this troupe have abilities which deserve to be appreciated; there is also no doubt that those abilities are being taken advantage of by radicals to push the acceptance of perversion in our community.  Join us in speaking out on their behalf!

 

Underwriting partners for Project 1 include DTE Foundation, Herman Miller Cares, Meijer, PNC Bank, X-Rite and Pantone.

 

DTE Energy Foundation
Ms. Lynette Dowler – President
1 Energy Plz 1578 WCB
Detroit MI  48226-1279
1-313-234-4000

Herman Miller, Inc.
Ms. Andi Owen – President and CEO
855 East Main Ave. PO Box 302
Zeeland, MI 49464-0302 USA
Main Phone: 616-654-3000

Nick Butterfield – email: media_relations@hermanmiller.com
616- 654 5977

Meijer, Inc.
Mr. Rick Keyes – CEO
2929 Walker Ave NW
Grand Rapids MI  49544
616-453-6711

Frank Guglielmi – Senior Director of Communications
email: frank.guglielmi@meijer.com
616-791-3814

Joe Hirschmugl – Public Relations Manager
email: joseph.hirschmugl@meijer.com
616-791-3943

Christina Fecher – Public Relations Manager
email: christina.fecher@meijer.com
616-735-7968

The Tower at PNC Plaza/ PNC Bank
Mr. William Demchak – Chairman, President & CEO
300 Fifth Ave
Pittsburgh PA  15222
412-762-2000

PNC Media Relations – (412) 762-4550
email: media.relations@pnc.com

X-Rite – Pantone
Mr. Ondrej Kruk – President
4300 44th St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
800-248-9748 or 616-803-2100
email” info@xrite.com

 

Major sponsors include:
Amway, Consumers Energy, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., Haworth, ITC—Your Energy Superhighway, LIFEWTR, Switch, West Michigan Honda Dealers and Wolverine Worldwide.

 

Amway
Mr. Milind Pant – CEO
7575 Fulton Street East
Ada, MI 49355-0001
616-787-1063
Email: customer.service@amway.com

Media Contact:  Anna Bryce
Email: anna_bryce@amway.com

Consumers Energy
Ms. Patricia Poppe – President & CEO
One Energy Plaza
Jackson, MI 49201
517- 788-0550

Katie Carey – Director of Media Relations
517-788-2395
email: Katelyn.Carey@cmsenergy.com

Megan Brown – Senior Director of Public Relations and Communications
517-788-6538
email: Megan.Brown@cmsenergy.com

Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
Mr. Tim Kelly – President & CEO
29 Pearl NW Suite 1
Grand Rapids MI  49503
616-719-4610
Email: info@downtowngr.org

Haworth, Inc.
Mr. Franco Bianchi – President & CEO
1400 M40
One Haworth Center
Holland MI  49423-9576
Phone: 800.765.4010; 616.393.3000

ITC Holdings Corp
Ms Linda Apsey – President & CEO
27175 Energy Way
Novi MI  48377
877-482-4829

PepsiCo, Inc / Lifewtr
Mr. Ramon Laguarta – CEO
700 Anderson Hill Rd
Purchase NY  10577
914-253-2000

Media Contact – PepsiCo Corporate: 
email: pepsicomediarelations@pepsico.com

Switch Grand Rapids
Mr. Rob Roy – Founder and CEO
6100 E Paris Ave SE
Caledonia MI  49316
877-775-4774

Wolverine Worldwide
Mr. Blake Krueger – CEO
9341 Courtland Drive N.E.
Rockford, MI 49351
616- 866-5500

 

Major supporting foundations include:
CDV5 Foundation, Peter C. & Emajean Cook Foundation, The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund and Frey Foundation.

 

The CDV5 Foundation
Suzanne Devos
PO Box 230257
Grand Rapids, MI 49523-0257
616-643-4700
Email: contact@cdv5.com

Peter C & Emajean Cook Foundation
Mr. Thomas Claus – President
2900 Charlevoix Dr SE Suite 130
Grand Rapids MI  49546
616-975-2276
Email: CookHoldings@gmail.com

Thomas  H. Claus  – President
email: tclaus@chholdings.net​

Carrie L Boer – Treasuer
email:  cboer@chholdings.net​

Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation
P.O. Box 230257
Grand Rapids, MI 49523
616.643.4700
Email: Betsy.DeVos@ed.gov

Daniel & Pamella DeVos Foundation
PO Box 230257
Grand Rapids, MI 49523-0257
616-643-4700

Doug & Maria DeVos Foundation
PO Box 230257
Grand Rapids MI  49523
616 643 4700

Frey Foundation
Ms. Holly Johnson – President
40 Pearl Street, NW, Suite 1100
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
(616) 451-0303
Email: contact@freyfdn.org

Efroymson Family Fund – A CICF Fund
615 N Alabama St. #119
Indianapolis, IN 46204-1498
317-634-2423

Joanna Nixon – Efroymson Family Fund Manager
joanna@joannanixon.com
317.258.3139

 

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To support our efforts please click here or mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412. 

 American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

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